Adjustable fur pelt drier and stretcher



Dec. 12, 1950 E. SCHULZ,'SR., ETAL ADJUSTABLE FUR FELT DRIER AND STRETCHER Filed March 6, 1947 INVENTORS EUGENE SCHULLSR THOMASA.MISKOWSKI ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 12, 1950 ADJUSTABLE FUR PELT DRIER AND STRETCHER Eugene Schulz, Sr., and Thomas A. Miskowski, Merrill, Wis.; said Miskowski assignor to said Schulz, Sr.

Application March 6, 1947, Serial No. 732,672

1 Claim. 1

Our invention refers,to skeleton pelt stretchers and dryers and it has for its primary object to provide a simple and effective metal skeleton frame comprising adjustable Spreaders for connecting side-rods, generally conforming to a pelt throughout its length, the side-rods adjacent the head end thereof being provided with adjustable crowned faced expansion blocks whereby a collar effect is developed in what might be termed a choker finish for the hide when the same is completely dried and stretched in a symmetrical shape throughout.

A further object of our invention is to provide the side-rods with inwardly curved jaws at the head end thereof and outwardly flared terminals at the tail end of the same, the said side-bars being also provided with non-obstructing adjustable spreaders intermediate of and adjacent to both ends whereby the frame is adjustable for the reception of different size pelts, the same being especially applicable to fox skins or the like which are initially moistened prior to subjecting the same to treatment.

Briefly, our invention essentially embodies a pair of flanged side rods converging at their head ends and a plurality of transversely disposed braces connecting the rods near their narrow and wide ends, the said braces comprising aligned links with a threaded connection therebetween, whereby the side rods are spread apart so as to widen the wedge shape, or contracted to narrow the same, and thereafter the rods are rigidly secured together, whereby the wedge shaped pelt dryer and stretcher is then inserted into the skins, it being understood that there is no manual operation for expanding the distance betsen the rods after they are inserted into the in. In other words, they are only for a run of skins that are approximately of the same dimensions.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated one complete example of the physical. embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the best mode so far for the practical application of'the principles thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a face view of a pelt stretcher and drier embodying the features of our invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed face view of the upper spaced connection between the bars.

- Figure 8 is a cross section of the same, the section being indicated by line 3-3 of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a detailed cross sectional view through one of the crowned expansion blocks, the section being indicated by line ii of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view through the adjustable intermediate spreader connecting the bars, as indicated by line ':l5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a similar cross sectional view through the tail end spreader connection between the side bars, the section being indicated by line E& of Figure 1.

Figure '7 is a detailed sectional view through the tail end of one of the side-bars particularly illustrating the legs attaching means, the section being indicated by line 'l-'! of Figure 1.

Figure '8 illustrates a nose and mouth form fitted to the inwardly curved bar ends.

Referring by characters to the drawings, l--l indicates tubular metallic side-rods, the upper head ends I of which are curved inwardly for convenience in receiving the nose portion of a pelt.

The lower tail ends I of the side-rods are flared outwardly and each of the same are provided with a series of thread receiving apertures 2-2.

As best indicated in Figures 1 and 7 0f the drawings, the tail ends I and I" of the side-rods have secured thereto gripping hooks 3, the lower ends of which are secured to the ends of the rods by round headed screws 3.

The side-rods are centrally connected by right and left threaded arms 44, the threaded ends of said arms being meshed with a turn-buckle "5, whereby adjustment in and out is obtained between the rods at this point.

Adjacent to the upper head ends of the rods,

. we provide a spreader comprising slotted arms 6 connected to ears 6', extended inwardly from the rods, by pivot bolts 6". The slotted arms are frictionally secured in their adjustment by tiebolts 1, which tie-bolts pass through the slots in said arms, as best indicated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, it being understood that all bolt attachments are provided with rounded heads to eliminate the tendency to catch or snarl within the hide when it is inserted upon the device.

As best indicated in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings, we provide a companion pair of outwardly curved or crowned faced expansion blocks 8--8 having their concavo-convexed inner faces nested against the tubular rods.

The above mentioned expansion blocks are positioned a predetermined distance below the nosed ends of the rods and the same may be adjusted up or down for different hide sizes and for this purpose, as shown, bolts 9 extend through a companion pair of a series of bolt holes 9' in the rods, the said bolts being anchored by thumb nuts 9" which engage the same.

Thus the pair of expansion blocks are provided for the purpose of stretching the hide adjacent to the shoulder points thereof to develop a collar effect in what might be termed a finished choker, which is an important feature of our invention.

The lower flared ends of the side-rods are connected by an expansion spreader similar to the centrally disposed spreader embodying arms, for ear connections 4' and a turn-buckle '5.

From the foregoing description, it will be observed to stretch and dry a pelt, the same in a moist condition, may be quickly drawn over the frame and downwardly thereof after said frame is adjusted for a large, medium o small hide. Thus the head will be perfectly formed and an off-set collar will develop a finished choker, it being understood that the tail end of the hide carrying the feet may be either stitched for confining the same in the proper shape or attached and anchored firmly by engaging the feet with the hooks 3 as previously described. Hence, it will be noted that an air current will be caused to travel through the skin surface of the hide to quickly dry and form the same properly whereby said hide, when finished will be smoothed out of all wrinkles or the like therein to present an attractive finished article.

We claim:

A pelt stretcher and dryer comprising a pair of side-rods flared at their. lower tail ends and narrowed at their head ends, a transversely disposed brace member connecting the rods at their narrow ends, said brace member including a pair of overlapping arms, means adjustably connecting said overlapping arms together, a second transversely disposed brace member connecting the side rods together at their wide ends, a third intermediately positioned brace member connecting said rods, said second and third brace members each including a pair of aligned links pivoted to the rods, and a screw threaded coupling for adjustabl securing the links, whereby the wedge shaped side-rods may be widened 0r narrowed for nested engagement with different sized pelts.

EUGENE \SCI-IULZ, SR. THOMAS A. MISKOWSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

